City Council Preview: Rental, Auditorium Shores, Parental Leave and Parking

City Council will hear proposals for a rental registry program, a potential closure of Auditorium Shores and a new parental paid leave program for city employees.

Photo by Daniel Reese for KUT News

City Council's got a full plate today, with everything from parking, rental registries, ride-shares, a possible closure of Auditorium Shores and a measure that could make Austin the first city to offer paid parental leave for city employees.

In response to over 500 multi-family building violations filed with the Code Compliance Department, Council members Bill Spelman and Kathie Tovo pushed for a new rental registration program, in which owners with a history of rental properties in violation of health and safety code would be required to undergo periodic inspections – focusing on the East Riverside, North Austin, and North University areas. The potential program would help combat overcrowded apartments and homes known as "stealth dorms," as well.

Parking is also on the Council’s agenda today, where more parking for businesses could mean less parking for park-goers. In an effort to maximize the city’s parking and increase funding for public parks. In exchange for more parking during the workday, businesses would pay their fee to the city, which would use the money to make enhancements to nearby parkland.

Auditorium Shores could close for up to a year for renovations to the park. ACL Fest promoter C3 would pay $3.5 million to replace turf on the lawn, as well as other renovations. The Council also could change the off-leash boundaries at Auditorium Shores. The new dog-friendly zone would be located in the middle of the Hike and Bike Trail, Bouldin Creek, and Lady Bird Lake.

Finally, the city may offer 30-day paid leave for city employees with newborns. According to the draft of the city resolution, the program would offer "paid family leave will be made available to birth mothers and fathers and adoptive mothers and fathers without regard to marital status or sexual orientation of the parenting." You can read the full resolution here.